Apparatus for driving pile shells



Nov. 16, 1937. E. D; wm- 2,099,664

APPARATUS FOR DRIVING PIL-.E SHELLS Original Filed April'5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 16, 1937. E. D. WATT A 'APPARATUS FOR DRIVING PILE sHELLs 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 Iliff.

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Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE APPARATUS FOR DRIVING PILE SHELLS Original application April 5, 1933, Serial No.

664,517. Divided and 1935, Serial No. 29,509

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to the manufacture of concrete piles in which the thin, comparatively delicate shell used as a permanent mold for the concrete is surrounded and protected during the driving operation by a heavy tubular casing which is subsequently removed. A similar method for protecting the shell is shown in Smith Patent No. 1,890,268, which discloses the method in connection with the formation of the upper sections of composite piles.

An object of the present invention, which is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 664,517, led April 5, 1933, (Patent No. 2,050,215, Aug. 4, 1936) is to extend the use of the Smith method to other and more difficult situations.

One method now in use for forming concrete piles by use of a protecting casing comprises the following steps:

1. Driving a protecting casing by means of a 20 driving core (a sheet metal boot is usually placed over the lower end of core and casing).

2. Withdrawing the core, leaving the casing in the ground.

3. Inserting a permanent thin shell into the smg.

4. Filling the shell with concrete.

5. withdrawing the protecting casing.

In the above process, when water or mud leaks past the sheet metal boot into the casing, the concrete is 'deposited through such water or mud, thus impairing the quality of the job. The protecting casing cannot safely be withdrawn until the shell is lled with concrete because withdrawal of the casing would almost certainly dislodge the empty shell from its proper position. This makes it necessary to keep the driving and hoisting apparatus in position until the concrete is poured, or else to return the apparatus after the pouring, in order to remove the casing. Since the pouring of the concrete takes considerable time, the driving and hoisting apparatus is tied up for considerable periods of waiting when it might otherwise be profitably employed, thus adding greatly toy the cost of the work.

In the present invention the boot is attached not to the casing, but to the permanent shell, thus preventing entrance of water or mud, and means are provided for holding the empty shell in position while the casing is withdrawn, thereby obviating the necessity for any lost time in the use of the driving apparatus.

Further and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from the accompanying drawings which ilthis application July 2,

lustrate what is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a shell, casing and driving core (as disclosed in the parent application) at conclusion of driving operation. v5 Fig. 2 shows the core and casing of Fig. 1 partially withdrawn leaving the empty shell in position in the ground. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the lower part of Fig. 1. 10

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a modification of Fig. l in which the casing is shorter than normal, thereby leaving the lower end of the shell exposed.

Referring to Fig. l, the pile shell, designated 2G, is provided at its lower end with a weldedon sheet-steel boot 22. In actual practice shell is, for convenience, often threaded into a sleeve 23, which is in turn weldedto the boot (Fig. 3). The hollow drive core 24 within the '20 shell is joined at its upper end to the drive head 26, while the casing 23 is provided at its top with a ring 3U having hooks 32 adapted for engagement by links 34 hanging from the drive head. During the driving operation collar Seis 25 n contact with the under surface of the drive head, and after the driving is finished, hooks 32 serve as convenient means for engaging the casing to withdraw it from its position about th I shell. f

Forming the lower end of drive core 24 is a shoe 3S having its lower surface formed to it the inner surface of boot 22. The boot is provided, near its top, with a circumferential bead 38, and above the bead is an angle ring 40, tted 35 as shown, snugly around the top of the boot. 'Ihe bottom of casing 28 engages ring l0 as shown, and the ring serves, during driving, to prevent entrance of material between casing and shell. During driving, ring 40 serves also 40 as a plow in advance of the casing.

After the driving operation is finished as in Fig. 1, the drive core and casing may be with drawn together as indicated in Fig. 2, leaving shell 2li, boot 22 and ring ill in place. During 45 Withdrawal, any attempt of shell 25H0 follow the casing and core is usually prevented by engagement of the surrounding earth with ring 48, which in turn engages bead 38 on the boot.

In case the resistance of ring 40 is not sufficient 50 to prevent the shell from following the core and casing during their withdrawal, the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 may be used. In this modication the casing 28 is shorter than usual, leaving exposed a portion of the lower part of the shell above the boot. Since the exposed portion is subject to abrasion during driving, that portion is made of thicker metal than usual, or the exposed part is reinforced by an external sleeve 132 which may be threaded onto shell 2Q and, as shown, may be welded to boot 22. lThe top of sleeve 42 is preferably uncorrugated as at 45 to better contact with angle ring l, which, like ring 40, serves to close the space between shell 29 and casing 28, but unlike ring ll, does not needY to project horizontally beyond casing 28 because in this modication the ring is not relied upon to engage the earth to prevent rising of the shell. The rising is prevented -by engagement of the earth with the portion of the shell below ring 6.

It is to be understood. that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described, but may be used in other Ways Without departure from its spirit as dened by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a pile shell, a boot permanently attached to the lower end of said shell and adapted to receivea drive core Yin shell driving relation, means engaging the boot adapted to support a casing surrounding said shell and to engage the ground as well as the boot for preventing said boot and shell from rising during the withdrawal of the core and casing after said shell has been sunk into the ground.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pile shell, a boot permanently attached to the lower end of said shell and adapted to receive a drive core in shell driving relation, a flange projecting at the lower end of said shell and from said boot adapted to support a casing surroundving said shell and to engage the ground and said boot for preventing said boot and shell from rising during the withdrawal of the core and casing after said shell has been sunk into the ground,

3. A device of the class described comprising a pile shell, a boot having a `circumferential bead attached Vto the lower end oi said shell and adapted to receive a drive core in shell driving relation, a anged ring engaging said bead on the boot adapted to support a casing surrounding said shell and to engage the ground and said bead for preventing said boot and shell from ring serving to engage the ground and prevent said boot and. said shell from rising during withdrawal of core and casing after the shell has been sunk.

5. A device of the class described, comprising t in combination, a pile shell, a boot attached to the lower end of said shell and adapted to receive a drive core in shell driving relation, a casing surrounding the upper part of said shell and leaving the lower part of said shell in contact with the ground, and means below said casing above the exposed part of said shell for supporting said casing during driving, said Contact serving to prevent said shell from rising during Withdrawal of core and casing after the shell has been sunk.

6. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a pile shell, a boot attached to the lower end of said shell and adapted to receive a drive core in shell driving relation, a casing surrounding the upper part of said shell and leaving the lower part of said shell in contact with the ground, a plow ring below said casing above the exposed part ofV said shell for supporting said casing, the Contact of the lower part of said shell with the ground serving to prevent said shell from rising during Withdrawal of core and casing after the shell'has been sunk.

7. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a pile shell, a boot permanently attached to the lower end of Y said shell and adapted to receive a drive core in shell driving relation, a comparatively short casing around said shell, and means eiective during the driving operation for supporting said short casing around the upper part of said shell, thus'V leaving the lower part of said shell in contact with the ground, said contact serving to prevent said shell from rising during Withdrawal of core and casing after the shell has been sunk.

ELIHU D. WATT. 

